Congratulations
By Director Anthony Giddens
The School typically describes itself as a research-led teaching institution. Some interpret this to mean that we are interested only in the research. But we are fundamentally concerned also with teaching excellence. For some time now we have had a programme of awarding LSE teaching prizes to the best teachers among the year's candidates for major review. This News & Views special celebrates our six colleagues who have been awarded 2003 prizes. I congratulate them most warmly.
I want also to congratulate their predecessors, who continue to make so stimulating a contribution to teaching across the School. Finally, I want to recognise the contribution of our hourly paid teachers, for the most part research students, who represent the next generation of scholars. Every year we give departmental prizes to the best of these teachers, and I salute those who have been selected.
For the future, via the Promotions Committee, we shall extend our formal recognition of teaching excellence to the more experienced teachers in the School. This will further reinforce our determination to encourage the highest standards in teaching.
The recent education White Paper raises the question of whether one can truly have a university in which there is no serious research; whatever the answer to that question, I am certain that one cannot have an outstanding university without an utterly serious commitment to teaching.
Dr Liz Barnett, director, TLC
Over the past six years, LSE has rewarded a select group of major review candidates with teaching prizes. This year, six of the 19 candidates received prizes.
I would like to extend my thanks to these colleagues, and others, who have agreed to make their practice more public in this News&Views special and through a series of videos which the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) is putting together. The latter give an insight into the student experience of excellent teaching, the teachers' rationale for why they do what they do, and practical ideas on how to translate ideas into action. These materials will make an important contribution to future LSE staff development programmes.
We also celebrate the contribution of the large number of 'occasional teachers' - an unfortunate term for the many dedicated PhD students, and other part time teachers who provide so much of the class teaching to undergraduates. Many of these people are completely new to teaching, yet take up the challenge with great energy and enthusiasm. Last year, the TLC established an awards scheme for these teachers. Several departments have now chosen to augment the scheme - increasing both the number of prizes and value of the awards. A particularly important contribution that some of these prize winners make is to come along to the initial training for class teachers to share their experiences. Several have also decided to extend their training, working towards the LSE Teaching Record - an in-house certificate of teaching practice - or the LSE Teacher Accreditation Programme. This is a more formal, extensive programme accredited by the national Institute for Learning and Teaching.
It is important that the School recognises and rewards good teaching. At the same time, it is also important to support development and innovation. I'd like to take this opportunity also to highlight the availability of teaching development funding to colleagues across the School. In the first three years that we had funding for development, several departments started experiments with new technologies, particularly an online learning environment called WebCT. This development work has now been strengthened with the establishment of the Centre for Learning Technology.
Others have used funds to explore ways of introducing team work into courses, develop new course content, develop case study materials, online resource databases, and guidance materials for PhD students. This year, we are particularly interested to hear from departments who want to explore different ways of ensuring equality of access to learning for students with different disabilities.
All staff involved in teaching are welcome to contact the TLC to explore funding opportunities for development projects. See the website too at: http://teaching.lse.ac.uk/
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The White Paper and teaching rewards
The government White Paper The Future of Higher Education sets out three main recommendations on rewarding teaching:
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it aims to establish a 'teaching quality academy' by 2004 to develop and promote best practice in teaching
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it plans to establish Centres of Excellence in Teaching at departmental/subject level, with each centre getting £500,000 per year for five years, and the chance to bid for capital funding
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it plans to more than double the annual National Teaching Fellowship Scheme, calling for the nomination of up to 50 teachers each year to receive fellowships each worth £50,000.
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And the winners are:
Dr Cecile Fabre, Government
Dr Fabre did her first degree in History in Paris, followed by an MA in Political Theory at York, and a PhD in Political Theory at Oxford. After three years of postdoctoral research at Oxford, Dr Fabre joined LSE in 2000, where she immediately started teaching on a major undergraduate course, along with two MSc options, one of which she designed and developed from scratch - Political Philosophy and the Body.
'I wasn't so aware of the teaching prize, I was concentrating on research for major review, but my department definitely makes the point that teaching is important, and that it is well supported.
'My greatest enjoyment in teaching comes from MSc work. I really enjoy class discussions. The students are good - motivated and keen to do the work. We have fun! It is particularly rewarding to see students progress and become much more articulate and confident.
'I need contact with students. It helps me concentrate on the research. Sometimes, something a student says triggers an idea for research. For teaching, I work on two principles: first, if a student asks me a question, I never answer it - I always ask them to have a go first (they often comment that this forces them to think, to become active participants not passive recipients) second, when students make assertions, I always challenge them to justify their assertions, and give evidence for them.'
Professor Chai Lieven, Government convenor said: 'What is it that makes a university lecturer a first-class teacher? First and foremost, you need a strong commitment to teaching and to students.
'Since academic careers, status and self-respect are built on research and publications, this commitment certainly cannot be taken for granted, particularly as youthful enthusiasm fades and administrative burdens grow with age and seniority. Enthusiasm and commitment are essential to the first-class teacher: students immediately sense their absence.
'In Cecile's case, the students feel immediately just how committed she is. A busy person, very dedicated to top-class research, she nevertheless always has the time and patience to listen to students, comment in detail on their essays, and respond to their individual needs. The guidance is patient. The advice is clear.
'Beyond what might be called human qualities, there are professional ones. These include mastery of one's subject, careful preparation of seminars and lectures, and the ability to explain complicated matters simply. In comparison to these points, mastery of new teaching technologies is less significant. But they certainly can enhance the quality of good courses. Once again, Cecile is a star in this respect - always anxious to learn and use whatever new technologies are available.'
Dr Clare Hemmings, Gender Institute
Dr Hemmings completed her BA Hons in English and Related Literature in 1991, her master's in women's studies in 1993, and PhD in Women's Studies from York University in 1998. Her academic career started in 1997 at the University of North London, before she moved to Goldsmiths to teach Sociology. She joined LSE in 1999 on a temporary contract in the Gender Institute, and the following year gained a permanent contract.
'Receiving a teaching prize emphasises that major review is not just about publications but that teaching is also valued. I was particularly pleased that the prize is an increment, not a one-off award, as this represents a serious recognition of junior colleagues' contribution towards teaching. I aim to encourage students to think outside the traditional box of normal lecturing and class teaching, using a student-centred learning approach, including encouraging students to write and publish.
'For example, I introduced student-facilitated seminars into Gender Institute teaching. Students work together in the same seminar group all year. During the first few weeks I work with them to explain and enable them to develop their facilitation skills. The ground work and preparation is important - good teaching is of course very time-consuming. However, once sessions are up and running, we've found that it can save time. Tutors are present at the subsequent seminars, but, for the most part, take a back-seat role.
'Once the sessions are underway, students start to think of themselves as scholars rather than passive participants. When the sessions go well, it is fabulous and students feel great. The seminars are an excellent way of covering material as the experiences of the students themselves, and the range of disciplines they are from, are tremendous. The process also enables students to develop other skills - working with peers, using visual aids, facilitating large discussions, responding to group dynamics. And in student facilitated sessions students consistently raise issues and ideas that add to the field of gender studies. As a result, the gap between teaching and research is less marked than with conventional teaching methods.'
Dr Tim Leunig, Economic History
Dr Leunig is a PhD (Econ) from Oxford. Following a research fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford, he took up a lecturing post in Economics at Royal Holloway in 1997, and then in 1998 became a lecturer in Economic History at LSE.
'In my sort of subject, the secret of success in the classroom is threefold. First, you have to tell a clear coherent story, rather than simply giving information. A good lecture means a student could give a one-minute summary to a friend on the way out. Second, I try to add to the reading, rather than summarising it. I don't want students to be able to skip the reading because they went to the lecture, nor think that they can catch up easily if they skip the lecture. The two should complement, not substitute. So I try to attack the literature, give a different view, give theoretical underpinnings for empirical material, anything except a survey of the reading. Finally, I always project energy in the classroom. If I don't appear interested, I can't expect the students to be interested. And if they are not interested, they are unlikely to work hard.
'This year I have also spend time preparing a lot of decent PowerPoint slides which will allow me to give my lectures next year with very little preparation. There is no point in being a great teacher if it means you don't have time to do any research. I was pleased to get a teaching prize this year. I have worked hard at it, and the evaluations show that the students appreciate it. Above all, though, it means a pay rise, which is welcome to me as I am about to become a father!'
Economic History convenor Professor Mary Morgan said: 'We are delighted that Tim has won a teaching prize. Our department values good quality teaching. No doubt it is Tim's informal teaching manner and variety in lecturing style which ensures students' attention and appreciation, but his lectures are closely structured to be informative and thought provoking.'
Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy
Dr Kumar has a PhD from the Development Planning Unit, University College London. Previously a senior research fellow at South Bank University, he joined the Department of Social Policy at LSE in 1998, teaching on the MSc Social Policy, Planning and Participation in Developing Countries programme.
'I was extremely pleased to receive the teaching prize as it is indicative of the recognition being given to teaching at the School. I have always believed that teaching is more than just mapping material relating to a particular topic. It should involve getting students to critically reflect upon the issues involved in a participatory and constructive manner.
'For me, the pedagogy of teaching is critical. In the past few years, I have experimented with a number of approaches. Two recent experiments have proved particularly successful. First, the development of a web-based virtual support portal to support student understanding of, and work on, 'the research process'. This uses an holistic and interactive framework that provides guidance not only on what is required in each element of a research dissertation, but also on the interrelationship between the elements. Second, use of WebCT by seminar participants on the elective Urbanisation and Social Planning to present their views on a seminar question in advance of a seminar.
'Innovative teaching is time consuming. Much of the preparation, especially that involving new teaching tools such as WebCT, remains invisible. It is here that due acknowledgement is given to the support provided by Peter Wren at the Centre for Learning Technology, and Dr Liz Barnett. Innovation in teaching is also a two-way street. The participation and evaluation by students involved in such experimental learning is vital as it provides the opportunity for critical review.
'I would like to thank the 2002-03 cohort of students taking SA460, the 2000-02 cohorts of the MSc Social Policy, Planning and Participation in Developing Countries students, and those from courses across the School for using the research process course in 2002-03.
Professor Julian Legrand, Social Policy convenor, said: 'We put forward Sunil Kumar for a teaching prize because of his innovative work in designing and teaching a web-based course relating to the research process to students studying for the MSc Social Policy and Planning in Developing Countries. It has had excellent feedback from students in our and other departments. We are delighted that Sunil has been awarded this prize, and also very pleased that the School is recognising innovative teaching in this way. It is a sign that the School takes seriously its mission of research led teaching.'
Dr Eric Neumayer, Geography and Environment
Dr Neumayer is LSE 'born and bred', with an MSc and PhD from DESTIN. He joined the School as a member of full-time faculty in 1998 and is programme director on the MSc in Environment and Development.
'Given the enormous emphasis on research, it is nice to have something to recognise the teaching side of our work. Success in teaching for me has to do with content, clarity, organisation and efficiency, combined with conveying to students that you care about them.
'LSE students are very smart - you need to be very well prepared for classes. Once they know you are in command of the subject, they have confidence in you. Rarely have I come across such motivated students - we just have to facilitate their learning. I also try very hard to explain economics to non-economists. Economics is no miracle, but we use language which is hard to penetrate. When you translate economics into English, then it's fine.'
Geography and Environment convenor Professor Paul Cheshire said: 'Eric is exceptionally well-organised and hard working and this is reflected in his teaching. He provides very organised teaching with clear topics and clear guidelines on what students are expected to read, links to electronic sources and lecture notes so that students don't have to scribble like maniacs. He restricts seminar presentations to 15-20 minutes so that there is enough time for discussion, and is not shy of steering the discussion so that it focuses on key issues.
'Eric makes a priority of communicating to students that the teacher cares about them, and wants them to understand that teaching is not just an annoying duty or distraction. This last point is significant. In general I have found that better researchers are better at most things including teaching. LSE is fortunate to have some pretty able people who, although their main focus is on their research, are still good teachers.'
Dr Jeremy Penzer, Statistics
Dr Penzer did a BA in Maths at Oxford, an MSc in Operational Research at Southampton, and a PhD in Statistics at Manchester Metropolitan (during which time he worked as a part-time lecturer in statistics). Currently working on an MSc in Computing Science at Birkbeck, he joined the School as a research assistant in Statistics in 1995, before taking up his current post as lecturer in Statistics in 1997.
'I am very pleased that the effort I have put into teaching and course development has been formally recognised by the School. An academic has three core activities: teaching, research and administration. I enjoy working hard at all three, but am acutely aware that only research brings real advancement. By signalling the importance of teaching at major review, the prizes give support to those of us who believe that taught programme students are entitled to some of our time.
'As I am still studying myself, the 'reality check' of being taught is a useful reminder of what does (and doesn't!) work. It is about good preparation, clear speaking and plenty of enthusiasm for the subject. If you are working with difficult material, which is the case with many LSE courses, then it really helps if you signpost where you are going, and let students know when an end is in sight.
'I very much enjoy teaching new material, when the ideas are fresh, and it's a pleasure to teach LSE students - it's great when they start to show the excitement in the subject that I feel. It's also very satisfying when they come up with neater solutions to problems I've set them than I did myself.'
Statistics convenor Professor Martin Knott said: 'Teaching in universities should be based in research but that can sometimes lead to less care being given to teaching than is appropriate for our hard-working students. It was a pleasure to be able to put forward Jeremy Penzer for a teaching prize.
'He has been able to obtain good ratings from even the most difficult groups, and his teaching has helped students cross the gap that separates rote learning from true intellectual enquiry. He has shown to many cohorts of students that research-based teaching at its best can strengthen the research culture of a department and bring new impetus to the research of the teacher.'
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Previous winners
1997-1998
Mr D L Bethlehem Law
Dr J Black Law
Mr D J Chalmers Law
Dr A Guyomarch Government
Dr J Hanikmaki International History
1998-1999
Dr C M Campbell Social Psychology
Dr J D Beall Social Policy (now DESTIN)
1999-2000
Dr J Van den Heuvel Mathematics
Dr S Hix Government
Dr S Jovchelovitch Social Psychology
Dr M Mulford Government/MI (now IIM/Methodology)
2000-2001
Dr Nigel Ashton International History
Dr Jackie Coyle-Shapiro Industrial Relations
Dr Katherine Rake Social Policy
Dr Joan-Pau Rubiés International History
Dr Karen Smith International Relations
2001-2002
Dr Abby Innes European Institute
Dr Janet Foster Sociology
Dr Piers Ludlow International History
Dr Stephen Redding Economics
Ms Emily Jackson Law
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Looking forward
The teaching prizes scheme at LSE exists to reward major review candidates who have demonstrated outstanding teaching performance, over and above the level of performance normally required for successful major review.
The Promotions Committee considers allocation of these awards on the basis of recommendations from conveners about candidates who have shown exceptional flair and effectiveness as teachers. Awards are made annually, in February.
The Promotions Committee recognises the importance of linking teaching quality more closely to the processes of staff motivation and reward - for example, through promotion of the availability of additional increments to reward teaching excellence. Conveners may recommend additional increments for members of academic staff who have displayed outstanding performance in teaching innovation or higher-than-average commitment with sustained quality of delivery.
In future, the Promotions Committee intends that allocation of awards/increments for teaching excellence will be extended to include candidates for promotion. This is part of a wider, on-going discussion about the place of teaching in the promotions process, and more specifically, about ways of gauging teaching quality to complement the survey data provided by the Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office.
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Occasional Teachers Award 2002-03
The main nomination phase for this year has not yet started but already two departments have identified teachers they wish to commend.
Other departments are invited to put forward nominations from their hourly paid teachers to the Teaching and Learning Centre.
Already nominated are:
Stuart Astill, Government
Daniel Linsker, Government
Ruth Kattumuri, Methodology Institute